News Focus
- Brazilian referee Matheus Delgado Candançan makes his international debut at Mewa Arena
- The 27-year-old famously dismissed 23 players in a single domestic cup final earlier this year
- Germany continue World Cup preparations without Manuel Neuer and Kai Havertz
- The friendly kicks off on Sunday before Germany face co-hosts USA
Germany continue their preparations for the upcoming World Cup with a friendly match against Finland. The game takes place at the Mewa Arena in Mainz this Sunday.
The fixture will mark a special moment for Brazilian referee Matheus Delgado Candançan. The 27-year-old will officiate his first international game.
Candançan only became a FIFA-listed official in 2025. However, he has already gained global attention. Earlier this year, he took charge of the Campeonato Mineiro final. This match featured bitter rivals Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro.
The game descended into chaos. The referee sent off 23 players in total. The brawl became so serious that security staff and military police had to intervene on the pitch.
Among those dismissed were Kaua Prates and veteran striker Hulk. Prates will soon join Borussia Dortmund. Hulk recently moved to Fluminense. Both players learned about their red cards when they read the official match report.
Despite the high number of dismissals, Candançan did not break the world record. Argentinian referee Damián Rubino holds that title. He showed 36 red cards during a fifth-tier match in 2011.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has confirmed that Manuel Neuer will not play. The 40-year-old goalkeeper remains in international retirement. Arsenal forward Kai Havertz is also unavailable. His club faces Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final one day earlier.
After facing Finland, the German side will travel to play co-hosts USA. Their World Cup campaign begins on June 14th against debutants Curaçao.